Black Boy in America

Photos by Jonathan De Camps. Words by Rafael Castillo

To be a black boy in America is to walk down a long well lit hallway with a slow step, cautious in attempt to avoid stumbling on the stereotypes fed to ignorant minds through full servings of news clips, social sites and your local broadcasting station.

Ideas embedded in the media to create a certain fear in the heart of suburban folks who have never crossed the bridge. Messages only fed to the blind, digested through systems of oppressive thought and segregated ideologies. I’ll proceed with the following examples…

Odell yells across the sideline and It’s childish, he has no sense.

Brady does the same, they praise his passion, he’s intense.

Out in Ferguson they called em rioters, thugs and gangbangers.

Up in philly they did the same but it got off as celebration. There was a fight for an unjust system, It’s not the same. They fucked up whole a city celebrating a game.

It’s everywhere.

In the office too!

He called the league SOB’s and was praised by sheeple, but the folks in Charleston are “very fine people”?

See, I saw the news and they said a white boy waived his gun but he was safely apprehended AND brought to a judge. And that’s the difference… the same mistake and I’m not even seein’ prison.

Philando reached for his liscense, we know how that ended. Bam bam bam! that’s another brother dead body lifeless on the floor cause of the bullet in his chest.

Now I’m paranoid, so cautious movement best cause the way our world moves, I never know if I’m next. And This ain’t an umbrella statement, because i don’t really think that’s it.

There’s a person who signed up because they thought they could change shit, rearrange shit.

There’s someone out there doing the right thing.

This is just a cautionary tale about what life is in my feet. if you choose not to see, stay blind if you please, but it won’t change a dam thing about the life I lead.

Ima walk through this hallway with a very slow step, cause I don’t need to stumble on whatever issue is next, cause I’m… still a black boy in America.

I pray that one day there be a time where they cherish us, but until then I gotta walk light in the shoes I was given. And if you believe it’s fallacy then… pay attention to where we livin.

I. Will. Stay. Cautious.

Jonathan De Camps is a freelance photographer and filmmaker based in Miami, Florida. He has been awarded the FEAST Miami (Funding Emerging Arts with Sustainable Tactics) award, and he is a 2017 2017 Knight Arts Champions recipient. Jonathan has nurtured his lifelong interest in narrative imagery in films, paintings, and photography continues to work with stories through documentary photography and filmmaking about immigrant communities, social justice reform and urban lifestyles. These photos were selected from a group of photographs taken at the Black Women March in Miami, FL, September 2017.
You can reach him out for inquiries, suggestions or collaborations: [email protected].
Rafael Castillo was born in Atlanta, GA. He has always had an interest in the entertainment industry. He realized that interest after he and his best friend created, wrote, acted in, and directed a mini-series for his school's morning announcements. After a life of sports came to an end he decided to pursue a career in acting. He has appeared in movies like"Miami Love Affair" and on television on BET's "The Quad". Outside of acting Rafael has a passion for writing as well. He has been writing poetry since he was in high school and performing since 2016. He has written multiple shorts as well as a web series. You can follow his journey on Instagram.

FEATURED EVENT

One of the best things about Miami is all the amazing musical talent the city has to offer! On Saturday, March 2nd join us for a live show by: Natazha Cumberbatch! Natazha is a singer and songwriter who intends to share a message of hope, courage and empowerment with her songs.